1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a relay for an electric vehicle and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, a relay which is for an electric vehicle and which has a permanent magnet integrally formed with a housing formed of a ceramic chamber, and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Background of the Invention
Generally, an electric vehicle uses a motor using a battery power as a power source, and a hybrid electric vehicle uses a motor using an internal combustion engine and a battery power as a power source. In the electric vehicle or the hybrid electric vehicle, a plurality of batteries are connected to each other in series or in series and in parallel according to a required capacity, and are mounted to the vehicle in the form of a battery set. The plurality of batteries supply a power to a motor of the electric vehicle, thereby making the electric vehicle move.
Such an electric vehicle requires a circuit switching device for supplying a battery power to a motor or for interrupting power supply. As the circuit switching device, a direct current relay is mainly used. The relay is a type of electric circuit switching device for executing a mechanical driving and transmitting a current signal by using an electromagnet principle. Such a relay is disposed in a battery system, and supplies power to a motor or various components of an electric vehicle or interrupts power supply by switching a battery.
However, in case of using the relay as a circuit switching device, the following problems may occur.
Generally, a relay is provided with a fixed contact and a movable contact, and supplies power or interrupts power supply as the movable contact operated by an electric signal contacts or is separated from the fixed contact.
A high voltage is applied to the relay, and an arc and heat are generated from a region close to the contacts by the high voltage when the fixed contact and the movable contact are separated from each other for power interruption. However, since the arc is a current flow and the fixed contact and the movable contact are connected to each other by the arc, current interruption is delayed by the arc even when the movable contact and the fixed contact are separated from each other.
Since current interruption is not rapidly executed, driving of the relay may not be precisely controlled. Further, the contacts are continuously abraded as the contacts repeatedly contact or are separated from each other. This may cause the lifespan of the relay to be shortened.